1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to swimming pools and other pools of standing water, and in particular to a dispensing unit that distributes a chemical solution that reduces evaporation and heat loss by forming a film over the surface area of the swimming pool or water pond.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention relates to water quality, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for feeding controlled amounts of chemicals into swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, cooling towers and other standing water ponds, the particular chemical solution forming a film or monomolecular layer over the surface area of the pool, thus reducing evaporation, heat loss, and the loss of any other chemicals which may be utilized in chemically treating the water content of the pool.
In home swimming pools and in newly popular hot tubs, spas, and other water pools, it is almost always necessary to filter and recirculate the water and to add certain chemicals, such as organic flocculating agents, which greatly improved the effectiveness of the filters in removing impurities.
Still further, chlorination is undertaken in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas in order to improve the quality of water and in some instances, chelating agents are positioned in the water to prevent the formation of scale in boilers.
In large public and commercial systems, apparatus know as “feeders” are used to meter predetermined amounts of such chemicals into the water. This is practical from the stand point of large industrial and public treatment facilities, but the necessary capital investment for such equipment makes it impractical for a home pool, spa, hot tub or small cooling tower.
Additionally, with respect to swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, there are often extended periods of time when the swimming pool, hot tub or spa is not in use, yet the swimming pool, hot tub or spa is subjected to the ambient weather conditions, which depending upon the time of year, can include extreme heat. In such a situation, the swimming pool, hot tub or spa looses water volume to evaporation, which in turn effects the chemistry of the water in the swimming pool, hot tub or spa, due to the reduced volume. Mechanical pool covers and the like can be utilized, but their installation is time consuming and cumbersome, and delays the reuse of the swimming pool, hot tub or spa when desired by the user in that the mechanical cover must be removed and stored.
It has been discovered that many of the desired water treatment chemicals needed for relatively small swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, can be packaged and shipped in closed and sealed plastic spheres of handy size. In use, one or more holes are opened in the shell of the sphere and the chemical enclosed is dropped in the water system. It has further been discovered that the motion of the water and of the sphere in the water can produce the desired rate of chemical feeding. A dispensor of this type and suitable for dispensing Applicant's formulation is disclosed by Etani in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,914, which is incorporated by reference.
In one embodiment, the capsule is used to add alum to the water of a backyard swimming pool. Dropped into the skimmer basket it introduces alum at a substantially constant rate proportional to the rate of flow and independent of the amount of undissolved alum remaining in the capsule. Although at any instant the dispensing rate from the capsule will depend upon the position of the tiny holes relative to the flow, the positioned effect is eliminated, on the average, because of the movement of the capsule. This type of chemical feeding provides a cleaner pool and a more economical method of introducing the chemicals into the pool.
The present invention adapts the use of these sealed plastic spheres to a chemical solution that reduces the evaporation and heat loss of a swimming pool by forming a film or monomolecular layer over the surface of the area of the swimming pool, hot tub or spa, and thereby reduces evaporation, heat loss, and maintains the chemistry of the water of the swimming pool, hot tub or spa.